Shaw, Heeter and Smith Race to Victory on McCarthy Autogroup Kid’s Night at the Races

(WINSTON, Mo.) – The McCarthy Autogroup Kid’s Night at I-35 Speedway was a huge success, both for providing a backpack of school supplies for all the children in attendance, 200 were pre-made and the staff had to stuff more, and the Rick Beebe Heating and Air Conditioning Smokin Hot Summer Racing Series brought great racing on the super smooth super slick racing surface. Darren Shaw and Gunner Martin led the way in USRA Modified heat race action. Darren Shaw then took his outside front row position and raced to the high side of the track to take a first lap lead. He was challenged through out the race, first by Nathan Vaughn, then by Robbie Reed and Dennis Elliott. At the 12-lap mark Houston Johnson had marched from his row 4 starting spot to slip by Reed and then on a restart Johnson slipped by Elliot for second. The final finishing positions were Shaw with the win, Johnson second, Elliott third, Robbie Reed fourth, and another hard charger Mark Schafman from his seventh row starting position finished fifth.

The 25-car strong field of USRA B-Modifieds put on a great race. The four heat races won by Brad Smith, Ethan Isaacs, Patrick Royalty, and Tyson Lanfermann were a prelude to the great feature. Smith took his pole position start and beat outside front row competitor Shawn Grady to the preferred lane. Isaacs quickly captured the second position and it was a nose to tail battle. The third position was a side by side, you lead this lap and I will lead the next lap battle for the third. With two laps to go, Bryant slid past Royalty for third. Lonnie Hibner made a run from his 4th row starting position to claim fifth.

The USRA Stock Car heat races were a crowd pleaser. Both heats were side by side racing with minimum distance between any of the cars. Cletus Murray and Aaron Sauter were the heat racer winners and thus the front row for the feature event. At the drop of the green, Sauter, Brett Heeter, and Murray were battling for the first lap lead, Heeter charged to the front. Sauter took a turn 4 slide over the cushion on lap 3 and brought out a yellow. The new charge on the restart was a clash between Heeter, Jeff Dixon, and Kevin Anderson. Anderson had his car jump out of gear causing him to spin. When the race was completed, Brett Heeter had led every lap, Dixon was second, Murray third, Aaron Sauter made it back to fourth, with Tom Fogarty bringing his T2 machine home fifth.

The E Modifieds were bound and determined to introduce a new winner in victory lane. Heat race winner Bobby Lopez and AJ Sayer were running neck and neck for first with Sayer eking out a lead only to jump the cushion in turn 2, giving the lead back to Lopez. Subsequently the ride over the cushion flattened Sayers right side tire and he was sent to hot lane and then the pits. Lopez on the restart grabbed first and never relinquished the lead for his first win. Charlie Browne was second, Gary Don Ainsworth third, Lloyd Yonts III fourth, and Mike Lewis was fifth.

The Sport Compact race saw David Miller III grab the first lap lead and stretch out a 20-car lead to the checkered. Second was Alvin Cooney followed by Matt Barnett, Scott Beagle, and Jason Teel.

Pure Stock racing was exciting as heat race winner Brad Sheetz was in command of the early laps of the feature. Ron Hill, Beau Wells and Kerry Ayers were staying within striking distance of Sheetz. Ron Hill crossed the line in second and then subsequently spun in turn 2 but kept going. Fortunate for Hill Albert Curtis spun in turn four bringing out the yellow and putting all the racers back in the previous lap finishing order. In other words, Hill was the Lucky Dog reclaiming second place. On the restart of the race the top 3 of Hill, Sheetz, and Ayers went three wide out of turn four with Hill taking the lead and the win. Wells was second, Sheetz third, Ayers fourth and Rylee Fuller rounded out the field with her fifth-place finish.

The Midwest Lightning Sprints, after several attempts to start the race, finally got going when one of the front row competitors was sent to the back by the MLS Officials. This allowed Bobby Layne to move up to the front row and did he ever set sail for another win in distinguished racing career. Rounding out the field were Ken Billings, Mark Billings, Bobby Russell, and Tyler Murrey.

The season long competition between Houston Johnson and Chad Fuller in the Grand Nationals continued tonight. Fuller led a lap and then Johnson grabbed the high side of the track and pulled past Fuller for another win. Fuller was second, John Hanson third, Billie Hoover fourth, and Chris Kline fifth.

The Show Me Vintage racers saw the #55 of Ray Hughes grab the lead on a restart and pull past the number 5 of Steve Hughes. Ray advised without the caution he might not have caught Steve. Allen Guthrie drove the #21K to third, Jeremy Turner was fourth, and Damon Clevenger brought his #6 home for fifth.